The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® declined 0.4% in January to a reading of 102.7 (2016=100), following a 0.2% decline in December.
News in end use
US Residential Building Materials Costs Climb Higher in January
Inputs to residential construction (goods less food and energy, not seasonally adjusted) increased 1.28% month-over-month in January, the BLS and NAHB reported.
Canadian Industrial Product and Raw Materials Price Indexes Show Mixed Results in January
The Industrial Product Price Index (IPPI) declined 0.1% month-over-month and 2.9% year-over-year in January.
US Existing-Home Sales Market Slows in January as Mortgage Rates Hold Steady
New listings dropped 1.2% month-over-month in January (seasonally adjusted), Redfin reported.
US Townhouse Starts Climb 27% Year-Over-Year in 2024Q4
Single-family attached starts totaled 47,000 units in 2023Q4, a 27% increase from 2022Q4, the Census Bureau and NAHB reported.
US Housing Starts, Building Permits, and Completions All Decline Month-Over-Month in January
Privately‐owned housing starts in January were at a SAAR of 1,331,000, 14.8% below the revised December estimate.
Mortgage Applications for New-Home Purchases Soar in January
Mortgage applications for new-home purchases increased 38.0% month-over-month and 19.1% year-over-year in January, the MBA reported.
Producer Price Index for Final Demand Increases Month-Over-Month and Year-Over-Year in January
The Producer Price Index (PPI) for final demand, seasonally adjusted, increased 0.3% in January, the BLS reported.
University of Michigan Reports Preliminary Results of Its Consumer Sentiment Index for February
The University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment increased 0.8% month-over-month to a reading of 79.6 in February.
Canadian Housing Starts Trend Lower in January
The seasonally adjusted annual rate for housing starts in Canada decreased 10% month-over-month to 223,589 units in January, the CMHC reported.